Hey all.<BR>I'm off to Italy for a month in August. I've heard that August is a nightmare month, when most italians take their vacations, places are closed, beaches are packed. Surely it's not that bad? August was the only time I could get off! Does anyone have any experiences of travel in Italy in this month?<BR>Thanks

Carly:<BR>August is bad in Italy, everything you have heard and in some places, worse. However, the major tourist cities such as Rome, Florence, Venice will open for business as usual. Several restaurants will be closed but all of the major sites will be open. <BR><BR>I cannot imagine going to the beach anywhere in the Mediterannean the second two weeks in August, although the first two weeks aren't as crowded. <BR>Also, beware of crowded and delayed trains. I would recommend using EuroStar as much as possible; reservations are mandatory, and they don't allow standing.

Hi Carly -<BR><BR>I agree with everything said in the last post ... August is absolutely the worst month to go to Italy .... BUT ... if that is the only time you can go then that is the answer to the question!<BR><BR>Let me also add that you haven't been in a hot place till you've been to Italy in August!<BR><BR>Barry

Thanks Santa and Barry,<BR>Guess I'll see how it goes, and will hopefully come back alive!<BR>Carly

Carly,<BR>Let me add that depending on where you are going, get your hotel reservations now. Ironically, the easiest (one of the cheaper) time is in one of the cities I mentioned. This is sometimes "low" season for these hotels. However, anything along the coast, in the mountains or at the lakes will be as much as twice as high.<BR><BR>Barry is right; and I don't want to discourage. Just be prepared.

Thanks. I've booked an appartment for the stay but am planning the occasional hostel/hotel, so will get booking soon!

My suggestion is DON'T GO IN AUGUST !!!<BR>You will be miserable. It is hot, crowded and very expensive.

It would be a very difficult decision to go to Italy in August or not go at all.<BR>Having said that, I was there in August of 2000. I was not at the seaside, did not have to depend on the trains as I had a car and was not particularly inconvenienced by shop closings.<BR>But, Carly, I was never so hot in my life. It was 98 degrees in Florence and Rome. It was humid and the heat was oppressive to me. Most places are not air conditioned and so there was no relief there. I live in PA, so if you are from Louisiana or Misissippi, it may not have that affect on you. Everyones tolerance is different. <BR>But is was so uncomfortable for me that I don't think I could ever bring myself to go that month again.<BR>Sorry, just my opinion.

Carly,<BR>Don't worry.Go and have lots of fun which I am sure you will. We were in Italy in August two years ago and stayed in Amalfi,Florence and Rome. We are going back this year in August again,beacause this is the only time we can go. I also live in PA.and hate hot weather,but if it is the hot weather of Italy,I don't mind it!

If August is the only time you can go, then go! We were there in August of 2000 and didn't experience anything so horrible that it ruined our trip. We stayed in a villa south of Rome on the beach and made trips into Rome by day by train. Yes, Rome was crowded and hot, but it wasn't unmanageable or even disagreeable (except for the ridiculous train schedules, which never seemed to produce trains at the right time going to the right places). Being able to retire to our seaside villa at night made our daytime treks all the more palatable. Some places we visited, namely Ostia Antiqua and the seaside towns south of Rome, were remarkably deserted. <BR><BR>If you're going to spend all your time in Rome, I'd be prepared for some hot, humid weather and crowds, but other than that, not much hassle. We didn't notice that many Romans were enjoying the ferragosto, but maybe we missed it since we were there the first week in August. Everything appeared to be open.

I've been to Italy in August 3 times, and agree with some of the other posters. Go! It's not my favorite time of year there due to the hot weather and crowds, and if I had a choice I would much rather go off season. However, I wouldn't give up a trip to Italy because of the time of year! And I've never personally experienced a problem with places closing in August.